…Just one thing check the curtain bring the bag catch the key. One last thing pop the trunk pull the pack fill the tank. Flip the tip and pull the clip- watch that window and wait. You hear me? Just take this and watch that window. I'll be right back.
They were happy in the hour of the sharp stone, the season of the always now. The water receded and they sat by the window watching sirens switch signals in pooling bands of white light. They didn't have much but they had each other. And they were pretty sure they could always get more.
*
Mind the signal push the pressure press the caution. Keep your eyes on that alley and watch that back door. If you hear something just turn the switch to pop the press that pulls the hazard. Otherwise don't worry about a thing.
Days spun out sharp angled days. The water receded and they sat by the window watching sirens switch signals underneath a low hanging sky. They didn't have much but they had each other. And that was almost everything.
Almost.
Trust me.
Pockets ever empty, money ever tight.
We'll be all right.
Just one time he told her and they would be okay. And this was what he was good at though it had been a while: prying things open, pulling things apart.
I know what I'm doing.
He told her what they were committing was in fact a victimless crime, that there were people in this world you couldn't actually steal from- people who had so much that in truth they had nothing to lose.
Just keep the motor running and trust.
Because they could always get more.
And blip the switch if five minutes later he didn't come back smiling, see? Sugar, see? What's that and what your man say? Start it up-
And truth was she was Sunday dozer nodding off in the back seat pretty much the entire time.
*
Look at that ain't it pretty don't it sparkle see it shine? You and me, Sugar-
hands in pocket sudden smiles gripped golden flesh flashing teeth stretched across the low hanging sky. They kept close together and sat by the window watching sirens switch signals like unhinged bands of fireflies. She kept her promise, kept her eye steady poised on the pulled apart open. But who knew the edge of everything was him saying
Name your price
to a pale man with glittery fingers standing near a back door. And the pale man said
That's some suss you got there, yes sir. That's some sharp sass. How you get it? How you manage? How you know it's yours?
And just like that the world was gone.
Hand it over.
The endless sanctuary, the simple season, the spark, the rivers, the stone, the now.
Now turn around.
By the time she hit the pavement all she'd remember was how he got up from the table, how her man kept trying to get up from the table- while she was already running for the door.
Get back-
Trying to out race stark sunset, the pooling wave of footsteps, the whisper of Sunday dreamers talking back to dawn.
You and me, Sugar…
They didn't have much but at least they had each other. And they were pretty sure they could always get more.
